A bad walk not quite ruined

There's something about miniature golf games that endears them to most. Stripped away of the pomp and ceremony of the green and fairway, the act of hitting a small ball into a slightly larger hole becomes something everyone can enjoy.

Death Golf tries to tap into that, but adds its own macabre twist. It's not just man versus ball any more - now it's man versus killer ducks and bear traps too.

Some of the additions work, and some of them don't, but it's at least a valiant attempt to open golf up to the psychopath end of the market its been missing out on.

Hole in one lung

The mechanics of the game are simple. You slide a finger around the screen to set the distance you want to hit the ball, then tap a button to thwack it in that direction. There are bottomless pits and haunted pools to avoid, and creatures to try and kill as well.

Once you've hit the ball you need to chase after it. Get there quickly enough and you can get a combo going. The more balls you hit in the same combo, the more points you get. But creatures will attack you as you play, and you'll need to beat these away with your golf club.

You move by pushing on the screen in the direction you want to go. It's a cumbersome system, though, and sometimes when you need to hop quickly between ledges and platforms it isn't good enough, sending you plummeting to your death when you should be skipping to the ball for your next thwack.

Once you get a par score or below on a hole, you move on to the next, where new threats and trickier shots are thrown in your general direction.

Clubbed to death

Unfortunately, the game never quite gels. It's fun and frustrating in equal measure, its mix of golf and top-down platforming offering as many opportunities to swear as to cheer. There are some neat ideas here, but too many poor ones as well.

There's certainly enjoyment to be had here, but as a fresh take on golf Death Golf doesn't quite stand up. Still, if you like the long walk to your ball peppered with fights and perilous leaps, it'll keep you entertained for a couple of hours.